Sales professionals today are being disrupted the same way taxi drivers were by Uber. What’s scary is most of these individuals don’t know they’re being disrupted.

Shane Gibson, an internationally renowned sales trainer, says artificial intelligence has already replaced reactive, script-based sales reps, while consumers are warming up to dealing with chat-bots. The biggest challenge may be that buyers are already 80 per cent through completing a purchase before sales people know they exist.

Gibson, who placed No. 5 on Forbes’ list of the Top Social Sales People in the World, says that although sales reps are being disrupted, they can increase their relevance by asking better questions during the sales process.

“Sales is not an event; it’s a process. And without asking the right questions, your offer or proposal becomes a crapshoot,” he explains.

Currently, most sales reps ask questions to qualify the customer for themselves. “That should be three out of the 12 questions asked during the opening discover call,” Gibson says. (See listicle.) “The rest of the questions need to dig deeper into the core business. This will help to build credibility. If he or she is able to ask insightful questions on the customer’s business or industry, it shows they understand the subject at a high level. It makes you appear that you are more than just a pitch artist.”

Don’t do the demo

One of the worse things to do on first-time discover calls is to pitch something or do a demo. Most potential customers have already done research on at least the base offering online.

Dell Canada account executive Angelo Gatto believes developing questions for navigating the customer environment is vital. “A sale will not occur unless you have connected with the right decision-makers,” he says.

According to Gibson, 90 per cent of salespeople think they have the deal locked up only to find out the person they’re communicating with is not the final decision-maker.

Gatto believes that customer intimacy is just as important as discovery. “Relationships need to be established so that the buyer is comfortable doing business with you. You need to have a level of trust, especially with the federal government, because some sales can take months if not years,” he says.

The Challenger Sale

John Husband, the vice-president of sales for Softchoice, says that approximately 60 per cent of customers his company deals with are well versed in the IT solutions they offer.

“There is an art to asking questions,” adds Husband, who used to be a sales trainer.

One strategy gaining in popularity with sales professionals is called Challenger. According to Husband, the Challenger method acknowledges they are dealing with an educated consumer. It’s the sales rep’s task to build on that knowledge with data-driven insights that help the buyer reframe their thought process.

“The customer might know what they want based on research, but might not necessarily know what’s going on in the marketplace or if the solutions can really provide a competitive advantage,” Husband says.

The Challenger method was developed by Brent Adamson and Matthew Dixon of talent management insights firm CEB Inc. in 2011. (Gartner acquired CEB in 2017.) With the Challenger system, the sales rep tries to do three things: teach, tailor and take control. Husband says there needs to be constructive tension for the Challenger model to work.

“The Internet has changed our approach to selling,” Husband adds. “There are no more people just fulfilling orders. You can buy anything online. So you do not need a salesperson unless it’s complex.”

In the Challenger method, the sales rep provides value by teaching the buyer about what’s going on in their industry. They then attempt to tailor the solution to meet the requirements of the buyer’s business outcome. Finally, the seller walks them down the purchasing process by taking control, and showing them a road map from A to B.

Some of the questions used in the Challenger system are:

Why is this the best solution for you?

What evidence do you have that this is the best solution for you?

What Challenger does is present a potential buyer with the gaps in his or her business. Challenger disrupts the thinking process, which might help the buyer see the bigger picture.

Gibson suggests using the Challenger model only after you build rapport and credibility with the customer. “Unless you have a rapport with the customer, you might risk being kicked out of the boardroom.”

A question such as “May I share with you how we can work together?” can help build the rapport needed to set up the Challenger questions.

“This question gives permission from the buyer to sell to him or her. Challenger is just a piece of the puzzle,” Gibson added.

12 Questions Sales Reps Should Use for Success

(In no particular order)

What is the business outcome you are trying to achieve?

What process are you using to achieve your desired outcome?

What are the solutions you have looked at in the marketplace?

In order to be successful, what type of result are you looking for?

How are you measuring this result?

Is there anyone else on your team that you need to get onside to make this happen?

If yes, what can I do to help you to make sure they are onside?

When are you looking to implement this? Is it in the next 30 days or next quarter?